Preliminary list of top ten OSHA violations includes eye and face protection for first time While the preliminary list of the Top 10 violations for Fiscal Year 2018 (Oct. 1, 2017 – Sept. 30, 2018) remains largely unchanged from 2017, there is a newcomer in tenth place. Eye and face protection surpassed electrical – wiring methods, which dropped off the top ten. Also, fall protection – training requirements, which was a newcomer last FY moved up from #9 to #8. Topping the list for the fifth year in a row is fall protection, a general requirements standard, which saw a 19.7% increase in citations from the previous FY. There was a significant increase – 25.4% – in citations related to ladders and a 30.1% increase […]

It is February already and I think I can see a hint of Spring just over the horizon. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to get there. I am tired of cold, wind, rain and snow and I am willing to bet that you are too. As we head towards that ultimate destination, here are a couple of things to think about regarding your risk management activities. You may want to take this relatively “quiet time” to think ahead and get ready for the busy plant construction season that includes the use of contractors as they can bring a substantial amount of liability and extra costs to you. They must be “good” contractors that you have vetted completely (before hire) or else […]

While it is difficult to predict exactly how OSHA will proceed in 2016, there are a number of changes in the regulatory arena as well as new initiatives that are important guides for employers: Significant Increase in Fines For the first time in a quarter of a century, OSHA can increase the maximum penalty amounts it imposes on employers that violate occupational safety and health standards under a provision in the Bipartisan Budget Act signed into law November 2, 2015. The Act requires OSHA to implement the new maximum penalties in two phases: An initial catch-up adjustment; and An ongoing subsequent adjustment period The one-time catch-up will increase penalties to reflect the changes in inflation from 1990 – 2015. Current estimates using October 1990 to […]

Happy Halloween. What’s the scariest thing you might see on the highway today? Zombies, vampires, the devil, Angry Birds? Not for me. The most terrifying thing for me is actually distracted driving – it plays a big part in a number of auto accidents on the road today. 20 percent of injury crashes in 2009 involved reports of distracted driving. (NHTSA). Of those killed in distracted-driving-related crashed, 995 involved reports of a cell phone as a distraction (18% of fatalities in distraction-related crashes). (NHTSA) In 2009, 5,474 people were killed in U.S. roadways and an estimated additional 448,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes that were reported to have involved distracted driving. (FARS and GES) The age group with the greatest proportion of distracted drivers […]

The Insurance Research Council estimates that one in seven drivers on the road today could be uninsured. During difficult economic conditions many people simply cannot afford to pay for car insurance. So what can you do to protect yourself? Here are a few things you may not know about your automobile insurance policy and uninsured motorists: What are Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Insurance? Uninsured motorist insurance provides coverage to a policy holder when the at-fault party does not have auto insurance. Who does it cover? It provides coverage not only to the occupants of your vehicle but also to any family member residing in you home when they are injured in a motor vehicle accident. Even if they are a passenger in someone else’s vehicle, […]